What is Digital Reference Architecture?
The digital reference architecture provides a foundational blueprint comprising taxonomy elements, interface definitions, and an overarching design framework for translating business goals to technical execution.
The reference architecture structures, respective elements, and relations provide concrete architectures and solution definition templates.
Reference architectures can be defined at different levels of abstraction. As a result, reference architecture accelerates delivery by re-using a practical solution. In addition, it provides a basis for governance to ensure the consistency and applicability of technology use within an organization.
Why is there a need for Digital Reference Architecture?
Today, everyone in the industry is talking about digital. The drumbeats of digital are deafening, but most of the talk is around features and functions – at a surface level. Much of the white papers and industry talk is not actionable. There is no blueprint for translating business wishes to technical reality by adopting a set of specific steps and building a set of solutions – without causing more silos and a patchwork full of band-aids, duct tape, and glue. An Industry-specific, specialized, and focused digital reference architecture will help the CIOs make the ‘pie-in-the sky’ dreams a reality with generalized guidelines that bridge the business/IT gap.
What are the components/views of Digital Business Reference Architecture?
The digital reference architecture should comprise an incremental set of deliverables, iterated and refined at each stage.
- Contextual – First set of deliverables as a Business Reference Model, including Business Capabilities, Business Processes, and Business Services View
- Conceptual
- Logical
- Physical
What are some references for building a Digital Reference Model?
https://bian.org/assets/bian-standards/
https://www.acord.org/standards/framework/Pages/default.aspx
Why should Business Architecture Community embark on this endeavor?
It is time for enterprises to get away from past legacy systems and implement a modular, flexible, and extensible architecture that is fit-for-purpose for the digital age. Combining digital domain knowledge, business domain knowledge, and excellent technical skills will be necessary to create specific, focused, and actionable digital reference architecture.
What are the benefits that will come out of creating this reference architecture?
- Establishes business architecture as the horse leading the digital transformation cart.
- The digital business reference models drive enterprise planning, design, and architecture.
- Instead of a fragmented and tech-driven approach to transformation, a digital business reference architecture will allow companies to think holistically and deliver incrementally.
What will it take to create the models?
The work can be accomplished incrementally, but it will involve creating reference architecture with multiple views: a business capability view, a process view, a system view, and a data view.
A multi-faceted team will be necessary to achieve this vision.
Team required:
- Thought leaders in the digital domain and reference architecture
- Business domain experts
- Business, Technical, Solution, and Enterprise Architects
- Data architects with depth in their field plus enterprise awareness.
Suggested Approach:
- Project sign-off and approval
- Assemble team
- Gain commitment from the team and their managers for allowing them to work on this endeavor.
- Kick-off call/meeting
- A project plan with key milestones and phased deliverables
- A RACI matrix
- Templates and structures for the team to do homework and come back with respective inputs
- A working offsite (after step 4 is completed)
- Finalization of Phase 1 deliverables
- Assemble a marketing package
- Conduct roadshows with analysts, customers, and prospects
- Refine and roll out additional views/material over some time
